Scores of youngsters will get a panoramic view of Los Alamitos and possibly of nearby Seal Beach and its shoreline Sunday.

Free flights will be offered to youngsters between the ages of 9 and 17 years who are interested in flying and aviation. They'll be accommodated in general aviation airplanes flown by the Experimental Aircraft Association Young Eagles at the annual Wings, Wheels and Rotors 2012 show at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos.

The annual open house exhibit is tailored for the whole family, and hosted by the Los Alamitos Area Chamber of Commerce and the California National Guard's training base in Los Alamitos. It will feature aircraft and helicopters, along with more than 500 vehicles.

The free show opens at 9 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. All the activities will take place at the flight line on Los Alamitos Army Airfield at the base. There's free parking, but a picture identification is required to enter the base at 11200 Lexington Drive off Katella Avenue.

No smoking is permitted on the flight line. Dogs, bikes and alcohol are also banned.

The show drew about 35,000 visitors last year.

This year, the Wings, Wheels and Rotors show will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Marine Corps Aviation. And a portion of the proceeds will go to the training base's Morale Welfare and Recreation funds to support armed forces personnel.

Among the many offerings will be about 25 military aircraft, 25 helicopters, along with public safety, first responder and military equipment, as well as media aircraft used around the Southland, according to event spokesman Tom Lasser.

Tickets for a Goodyear blimp ride also will be raffled.

Aircraft flyovers are planned, and there also will be helicopter flights in civilian choppers for a small fee by Star Helicopters.

The largest event will be a huge car show including custom cars, new autos, motorcycles, roadsters, antique vehicles, hot rods and several race cars.

An Alternative Fuel Village will feature a number of clean-energy vehicles, including a bus that's 100 percent electric.

Among the family events will be a Kids Korner.

Of course, there will be food, including breakfast. Music, vendors, displays, demonstrations will also be featured.

Los Alamitos Army Airfield is the last remaining military airfield in the Los Angeles/Orange County areas - with the longest runway in Orange County. The JFTB is also the disaster support area for the Southland.

Light another candle

This month marks the 40th anniversary of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, legislation that has led to decades of conservation.

Since passage of the conservation act - according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - the country has made "significant strides and investments in marine mammal conservation, building a wide-ranging scientific and management infrastructure to protect and monitor populations."

However, according to NOAA, the United States cannot do it alone.

To enhance the focus on international challenges facing marine mammals, NOAA has released the International Marine Mammal Action Plan, identifying specific actions and projects to be undertaken over the next five years. This plan and other key elements of the MMPA are featured online at www.nmfs.noaa.gov.